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Newsletter July 2018

For the July edition of our regular monthly newsletter, an interesting collection of models have been carefully picked out. With the IPMS USA convention coming up, we have zoomed on in types that were operated over the North American continent. But let us assume that these types, two of which originate in the USA and the third one comes from Canada, will appeal to modellers worldwide. And not just these three injection moulded kits, let us mention also our CMK resin sets which tailored for the 1/72 Hasegawa Ki-61 Hien, the 1/48 Asian Elephant with Mahout and RAF Ground.

We are also happy to be able to announce a reissue of our 1/48 SH48107 Spitfire Mk.XII and 1/72 SH72193 Ki-43-II Otsu Hayabusa kits.

A. Riedel

SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC KITS

AF-3S Guardian ‘MAD Boom’ 1/48

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

100-SH48194

1/48

8594071086671

During the 1950s, the AF-2 Guardian anti-submarine aircraft were operating from the US Navy carriers in so-called Hunter-Killer pairs which consisted of one machine of the AF-2W version performing the Hunter role using its volumous, belly-mounted AP-20 search and early-warning radar to locate enemy’s submarines while the other member of the team was an AF-2S which was the Killer, carrying a variety of offensive anti-submarine weapons, such as torpedoes, depth charges or rockets in the bomb bay or beneath its wings.

The development of the Guardian began during WW2 although the original request from the US Navy had been for a torpedo-bomber. At Grumman, this project was known under G-70 designation, while the Navy recognized it as the XTB3F. This new type was to be propelled by a P&W R-2800 radial engine driving a four-bladed propeller in the nose and a Westinghouse 19XB jet engine mounted in the tail section. The Westinghouse jet was later removed from the specifications, yet before the prototype’s maiden flight, which took place on 19th December 1945. By this time the torpedo bomber role had already been outdated and the Navy asked for the type to be rebuilt into the two above mentioned versions.

The prototype AF-2 (which was the radar-equipped Hunter version) first flew in November 1948 while the AF-2S performed its first flight in January the following year. A year later, the type entered service with the US Navy, later to be joined by a third version, the AF-3S which was basically a AF-2S with a magnetic anomaly detector fitted. The AF-3s were operated both from land bases and aircraft carriers. During the Korea War, the type was used to defend US Navy vessels in the combat zone.

The Guardian was removed from front line service in 1955, remained just with US Naval Reserve units up to 1957. The type became the very first US Navy carrier-based aircraft to be specially built for anti-submarine warfare. It also holds the record for being the largest single-engined, piston-engined aircraft ever to be flown from the US Navy carriers.

Our model of the final, attack version of the Guardian consists of as many as eight styrene runners,

one clear sprue, a set of resin parts and a photo-ethed fret. The new AF-3S sprue contains also a new set of mainwheels with the correct number of slots in the hubs and an enlarged stbd wing pod housing more efficient radar to that used in the AF-2S version. The decal sheet caters for four machines, two of which were painted in blue overall per regulations issued later in the war. The VS-20 machine was operated in 1953, at first from NAS Atsugi in Japan, later from aircraft carrier USS Bagoeng Strait. The other blue Guardian belonged to VS-27 and flew from CVS-36 USS Antietam in the Mediterranean in 1953. AF-3Ss machines remained in service with reserve units long enough to receive the new Gray-White scheme, the other two Guardians in our kit offers this scheme as worn by NAS Los Alamitos based machines, the scheme is also accompanied by orange fuselage bands which were used to mark training machines.

Canadian Vickers Delta Mk.II/III "RCAF" 1/72

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

100-SH72351

1/72

8594071085728

Having left Northrop Aircraft Corp. (Stearman-Northrop) controlled by Boeing, Jack K. Northrop along with his partner Donald Douglas established a new company, called Northrop Corp. The company’s premises were based at Inglewood, California. In 1932, Northrop followed his earlier and successful cargo and mail types the Alfa and Gamma and designed a new one, named the Delta. It was a all-metal, single engined low-wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage covered in spats. The type was intended to be used on short domestic routes and was built in several versions, differing by their powerplant and also the shape of the pilot’s cockpit canopy. The first versions known as the Delta 1A, 1B and 1C featured a narrow canopy housing only one pilot. Following versions, the 1D and 1E already had a wider cockpit enabling a crew of two to sit there and they also had a much massive dorsal section of the fuselage. Unfortunatelly, one of the first Delta 1A machines crashed in Mexico while being delivered to a customer. This accident was also one of the reasons for the US government to ban the usage of single engined types for regular passenger transport. Aircraft already produced were bought by private subjects or used by companies for business trip purposes. One of the Delta 1Ds, with construction number 74, was used by the US Coast Guard and later it was handed over to the US Corps of Engineers and flown in African Ethiopia during the Second World War. Delta 1D c/n42 first saw service with Ellsworth’s Antarctica Flight, then was bought by the Australian government and following the outbreak of WW2 it was transferred to the RAAF. Some other Deltas were lucky to have seen war service even earlier as three of them had been acquired by the Spanish government, though two of them fell into the hands of Spanish Nationalist Forces making the Delta the type to fight or be used on both sides of the conflict. In 1936, Canada bought licence rights, thus partially making up for Northrop’s business failure with the type. The Canadian machines were produced by Vickers company in versions Mk.I to Mk.III. While the Mk.I and Mk.II versions differed from their American predecessors only in details, the Mk.III featured a completely redesigned tail unit. Canadian Deltas saw service in a multitude of roles, they were used as photographic machines and for aerial survey, following the outbreak of WW2 they began also flying reconnaissance missions, anti-submarine patrols and were also used for training purposes. Many of them were also fitted with a pair of floats or skis.

Our kit brings the option to build one of two Delta Mk.II aeroplanes or one in the Mk.III version which sported a new tail fin. All of these three machines flew in natural metal overall, one was used during 1937, the two others were seen in service in the WW2 era. The model comes on five grey injection moulded styrene sprues accompanied by one with clear parts specific for this Canadian variety of the Delta.

C-41A ‘US Transport Plane’ 1/72

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

100-SH72385

1/72

8594071086688

In the late 1960s, the Spanish Air Force, or Ejército del Aire, was seeking a new transport aircraft. In order to meet the air force's needs, Spanish company CASA proposed a twin-engined, turboprop-powered, high-wing, non-retractable undercarriage cargo aircraft with STOL capabilities. The project known as the CASA C-212 Aviocar was eventually accepted and a pair of prototype machines took off for the first time in 1971. The Spanish Military assessed the suitability of the C-212 while using a small pre-production batch of eight aircraft. The type received military designation the T.12. Large scale production was commenced based on huge number of orders from almost all around the world and the type was also licence-built in Indonesia. Several consequent versions were also designed and built, differing by the type of engines used, elongated front fuselage section, larger tailplanes or added winglets.The original C-212-100 was equipped with TPE331-5-251C engines, the follow-up subversions were the C-212-200 with more powerful TPE331-10-501C power units, the C-212-300 with longer nose, winglets and fitted with even more powerful TPE331-10R-513C units and different style of propellers. Since 1984, the C-212-400 has been produced, having TPE331-12JR-701C powerplants, modernised avionic systems and increased payload.

The great number of customers and the wide variety of their requirements is the story behind why so many versions have been in production so far, which differ by the the powerplants, the styles of side fuselage sections and the entrance doors. The Ejército del Aire itself, besides the pre-production batch T-12B airframes which would be later converted for photo-reconnaissance missions and known as the TR-12A, saw service of several other C-212 versions, ranging from the VIP transport type C-212 AV/T.12C through to maritime patrol airframes with large radomes and /or sensors in the front fuselage and on top of the tail fin (T.12D). It is obvious that the C-212 has been in service throughout the world and over all continents and the number of all civil sector users seems to be undefinite. In North America, the C-212 was used with the military of the United States (C-41 type), in Central and South America, air forces of Mexico, Panama, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Argentina. The Casa is also still flying in Europe, with air forces of Sweden, Spain, Portugal, France and Malta. In Africa, the Casa can be seen from the very north down to the southernmost territories, the users were or still are for instance Chad, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and other countries. Down under, the Australian Army use their C-212s for training of the Red Beret Parachute Display Team, and the Australian Department of the Enviroment use their C-212s as a part of the Australian Antarctic Division over Antarctica. In Asia, the type is operated of course by Indonesia, but among other users there might be mentioned also Thailand, Vietnam or the Philippines.

The C-41A kit comes on five grey injection moulded sprues and two made of clear plastic. The Scheme A option, a US Army machine was fitted with a different type of side door dome window and we have correctly portrayed this feature and designed a new sprue with this alternative style of the side door. Along this white overall SOAC-operated machine with red and blue trim on the tail and a nice sword-emblem on the entrance door, the kit is going to offer the modeller also a pair of machines that flew with private military companies AWS and XeS (both emerged from the infamous Blackwater security company). The first one of these is also white overall with cheatline in two blues, the other is in dark grey and black. The final machine of our selection is a white C-41A of Evergreen International Airlines which was operated by CIA.

1/72 Ki-61-I Tei Hien Control Surface Set, for Hasegawa kit

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

129-7397

1/72

8595593126036

The set brings control surfaces such as the ailerons, rudder and elevators separated from tailplanes. All the surfaces come with much more detailed and real-like fabric covering than those in the original kit.

1/72 Ki-61-I Tei Hien Cockpit Set, for Hasegawa kit

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

129-7399

1/72

8595593126050

This set offers an all new and much more detailed cockpit than was that of the original kit. The modeller will find the following: the cockpit floor with the bulkheads, side consoles, control column, instrument panel, pilot’s seat, rudder pedals...) The instrument faces come on a pre-printed piece of clear film.

1/72 Ki-61-I Tei Hien Armament Set, for Hasegawa kit

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

129-7400

1/72

8595593126067

Open wing-mounted gun compartments, ammunition boxes, access panels with details on either side and also two new one-piece drop fuel tanks are offered in this set which is destined to boost the levels of your model sky high. All you need for a really stunning model.

This set consists of an Asian Elephant figure, a mahout (an elephant rider and trainer) sitting on the beast and one standing figure of an RAF ground crew member. Elephants were used in Burma and India for hauling aircraft and other heavy burdens. During the Second World War, these animals were used by the Brits and the Japs alike.

1/72 WWII IJAAF Fighter Aircraft External Fuel Tanks (2 pcs)

Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

129-Q72324

1/72

8595593126081

Finely detailed resin cast drop fuel tanks, moulded in one piece each meaning no assembly is necessary, unlike the injected plastic ones made of several parts. The tanks can go with many Japanese Army AF fighter aircraft of the WW2 era, for instance the Ki-43, Ki-44, Ki-84 and others)

1/72 FH-1 Phantom Mainwheels and Nosewheel for Special hobby kit

72Art.no.

Scale

Barcode

129-Q72326

1/72

8595593126104

This set contains a nosewheel and mainwheels as fitted to the FH-1 Phantom navy jet fighter plane kitted by Special Hobby. The 3D-designed parts offer much higher levels of detail, the nose wheel has very nicely detailed hub, the mainwheels feature diamond tread pattern tyres.

Messerschmitt BF-109G-6 'Mersu over Finland' 1/72

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